Cheap Travel Is Possible-Here’s How You Do It!

I have been very fortunate to travel to some pretty amazing places in my life. I’ve walked along the Champs-Elysees at night in Paris, looked at the Roman Coliseum at twilight, and looked at the cool statues in Vigeland Park Oslo. I’m not rich, I don’t have a trust fund, and I paid for all of my travels myself. So, if you’re in a similar situation I have some advice for you.

Travel for me is fuel for my soul. I love the process of thinking of where to go to next, who I’ll meet, what food I’ll eat, and wondering what I will see when I arrive. My travels have broadened my worldview and have helped me become a global citizen.

So, here are some pieces of advice for you.

Begin to dream about where you would like to go.

Narrow it down for the time that you’re currently living in. Not every trip is appropriate for the moment that you’re in.

Connect your interests to the place you would like to visit. So, there was a long-time in my life when I was obsessed with all things French. The obvious trip for me was to go to Paris. But before that trip I was: learning French, going to French events, eating French food…you get the picture. If you love incredible waterfalls, great steaks, and wine then Argentina should be on your list

Set a time frame and be honest with yourself. I recently discovered that my shorter trips were just as valuable as my long-term trips. The value of each trip was having the ability to go and experience somewhere new.

Create a budget and then add another 25%-Things always happen when you travel. You may decide to stay longer, leave earlier, or a family emergency could crop up.

Research, research, research-The more you research the more real your trip becomes to you. Research: transportation, food, activities, etc.

Work (and save) like crazy!!

Be open to alternative housing options. I almost always stay in hostels in countries new to me. The hostels I’ve stayed in have been fun, multi-aged, offered breakfasts, and had kitchens that you could use. Some even offered activities, bar-b-ques, and travel assistance

Buy food from the grocery store or farmers’ market

I am currently preparing for a trip that I have delayed for 10 years. I had to be flexible about the dates because I currently work a full-time job. Also, it’s a long-haul trip so I’m looking at ways to cut the flight costs. Happily, I will be housed for free for entire trip. There is a lot of talk about balancing out travel and taking care of financial goals. I would just say that if you’re going to travel-save money in ways that don’t endanger safety, USE CASH, have a backup plan, and have fun. By the way, I’m not telling you travel with wads of cash. If you’re using your credit card have the cash to pay it off when you get back.

About Michelle

Michelle Jackson blogs at (The Shop My Closet Project) . She is a lifelong lover of Perrier water, cruiser bikes, reads obsessively, and loves to travel. She enjoys hiking, hanging out with friends and family, and meeting new people. Personal finance is an ongoing obsession and she hopes to help others succeed financially.

Comments

Can’t wait to see how everything unfolds for you in the coming months! In the meantime I’m just going to enjoy worldly cuisine from home, and maybe pop in my old French CD and re-learn a few words again. 🙂Tonya@Budget and the Beach recently posted…A SERIOUS In Depth Interview with…um, Myself

Yes! Your reasons for loving travel are so similar to mine. Exploring the world is such a wonderful gift and I treasure every trip I’ve taken. Where are you going on this long-awaited trip? I’m super curious!Mrs. Frugalwoods recently posted…Frugal Hound Sniffs: Indebted Mom

I’m keeping the location under wraps right now 🙂 It will be a blog post LOL! Are you going to write that post I begged you to write about your travel process??? I would to read it!Michelle recently posted…The Gentrification Of One of My Grocery Stores

I just laughed when you said “work like crazy”. It’s really true when you want to go somewhere like the Netherlands, UK, and Japan where cost of living is really high. We’d better work so hard to get those dream vacations fulfilled.Jayson @ Monster Piggy Bank recently posted…Building a House Step by Step – Part 1

I have the amazing ability to never go to places that are cheap: London, Paris, Norway. I’m trying hard to buck that trend but that is still the case with my upcoming trip.Michelle recently posted…The Gentrification Of One of My Grocery Stores

Great tips! I have yet to stay in a hostel but I’m not against it. To cut costs, I take shorter trips ( like you!) and I also stay with people I know. This is how I was able to go to New York City, Boston and Atlanta last year for the price of a plane ticket and food. 🙂Athena recently posted…My Financial Goals For The Next Five Years

I am friends with people that I’ve met in hostels. I will continue to stay in them for my whole life! I absolutely love them. Maybe I will write a post about how to chose a good hostel. I think Americans tend to be the most leery in terms of using them. I think those scary movies have scared us off.Michelle recently posted…The Gentrification Of One of My Grocery Stores

Hi Michelle, Congrats on your future dream trip!:) I too am saving up for a long-haul one, and it will probably be more than 10 years for me to save up for it. But at least I’m not sacrificing anything financially!How To Save Money recently posted…Saving by Shopping at Garage Sales and Thrift Shops

Thank you very much for your kind words! I am going to very gently encourage you to cut down your timeframe to two-three years and reconfigure your trip. So much can happen in ten years. If you ever need help putting a trip together send me an email. It would be my pleasure to help!Michelle recently posted…The Gentrification Of One of My Grocery Stores

My wife and I are planning on traveling within the next 5 years. We just want to finish having kids and pay off as much debt as possible before then.Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank recently posted…Building a House Step by Step – Part 1

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The Bottom

You made it all the way to the bottom! Thanks so much for reading.
Did you know that The Bottom is the name of a town on the island of Saba, in the Caribbean? I went there on a trip once.
The other bottoms I think about are my own bottom, and the bottom of the champagne bottle. Often when I find the bottom of the champagne bottle, my own bottom grows. Funny, that.

Thanks for reading!

- Anne

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